Electrical connector with signal paired contacts and ground contacts arranged to minimize occurance of crosstalk

Abstract

In a connector adapted to be connected to a mating object in a first direction, a plurality of contacts arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. Each of the contacts includes a contacting portion to be contacted with a mating object and an intermediate portion between the contacting portion and a terminal portion. The contacts includes a plurality of paired signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts. A combination of the paired signal contacts in one of the rows and the ground contact in the other row forms a first set. A combination of the paired signal contacts in the other row and the ground contact in the one row forms a second set. Adjacent ones of the intermediate portions in the first and the second sets are shifted in position from each other in the first direction.

1. A connector adapted to be mounted on a substrate and to be connected to a mating object in a first direction, wherein the connector comprises:
 a plurality of contacts arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and 
 a housing holding the contacts; 
 wherein each of the contacts comprises: 
 a contacting portion to be contacted with the mating object; 
 a terminal portion to be connected to the substrate; and 
 an intermediate portion between the contacting portion and the terminal portion, the intermediate portion protruding from the housing; 
 wherein the contacts include a plurality of paired signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts; 
 wherein the contacting portions of the paired signal contacts and the ground contacts are arranged in two rows extending in the second direction and in a staggered fashion; 
 wherein a combination of the paired signal contacts in one of the rows and the ground contact in the other row forms a first set; 
 wherein a combination of the paired signal contacts in the other row and the ground contact in the one row forms a second set adjacent to the first set in the second direction; and 
 wherein, between the first and the second sets, adjacent ones of the intermediate portions are shifted in position from each other in the first direction while adjacent ones of the terminal portions are arranged on a line extending in the second direction. 
 
   
   
     2. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the contacts further comprises a holding portion between the contacting portion and the intermediate portion and held by the housing. 
   
   
     3. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the contacting portions in each of the first and the second sets are located at apexes of an isosceles triangle, respectively. 
   
   
     4. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portions of the paired signal contacts are bent towards the intermediate portion of the ground contact in each set. 
   
   
     5. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the intermediate portions of the paired signal contacts in each set is increased in width as compared with remaining portions. 
   
   
     6. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the terminal portions of the paired signal contacts and the ground contacts are arranged in a single row in the second direction. 
   
   
     7. The connector according to  claim 6 , wherein the terminal portion of the ground contact is interposed between the terminal portions of the paired signal contacts. 
   
   
     8. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portions in the first set are shifted in position in the first direction from the intermediate portions in the second set. 
   
   
     9. The connector according to  claim 8 , wherein each contact is bent so that the holding portion is perpendicular to the intermediate portion. 
   
   
     10. The connector according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the paired signal contacts and the ground contact in the one row is bent so that the holding portion is perpendicular to the intermediate portion while each of the paired signal contacts and the ground contact in the other row is formed so that the intermediate portion is inclined with respect to the holding portion.